Young_Southeast_Asian_Leaders_Initiative
Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative
US Department of State project
The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, also known as YSEALI (pronounced /waɪˈsiːli/), is a highly-competitive cultural exchange program for Southeast Asian emerging leaders sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. YSEALI programs are known to have 1-2% acceptance rates and are usually awarded to emerging leaders with outstanding work and potentials in their chosen fields or advocacies.[citation needed]
The initiative was launched by President Barack Obama in Manila in December 2013[1] as a way to strengthen leadership development, networking, and cultural exchange among emerging leaders within the age range of 18 to 35 years old[2] from the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Timor Leste. YSEALI's programs include prestigious exchange fellowship programs to the United States, professional short courses and diplomas, virtual and on-ground workshops within Southeast Asia,[3] and seed grant funding opportunities.
The programs fall under the key core themes of civic engagement, sustainable development, economic development, governance, and the environment.[4]
Alumni of YSEALI programs later assume key positions in government, civil societies, and corporations after their programs. Notable alumni of YSEALI include Vico Sotto,[5] Syed Saddiq, Carrie Tan, and Lee Chean Chung. As of September 2020, the program has more than 5,000 alumni and 150,000 members across member countries.[6]
In 2021, Texas representative Joaquin Castro filed a bill in the US House of Representatives to strengthen YSEALI as a law.[7]